Police in Lucknow have arrested 119 suspects connected to an international cyber fraud syndicate that operated a fake call centre targeting US citizens by impersonating employees of major US technology companies and federal agencies, officials announced on Thursday.
Bust of Fake Call Centre in Summit Building
The alleged cyber fraud network was uncovered following a raid on Wednesday at an 11th-floor office in the Summit Building, where the call centre operated under the name Solaris Solutions, Lucknow Police Commissioner Amrendra Kumar Sengar said during a press conference.
Police said the call centre functioned primarily at night to align with US working hours and was equipped with internet-based calling systems, VoIP technology, and the banned Eyebeam Dialer software to contact victims overseas while concealing callers' identities.
Multi-Layered Operating Model
According to investigators, the syndicate followed a structured, multi-layered operating model resembling a corporate business, with separate teams assigned different tasks to facilitate the fraud.
The first “baiting” team sent text messages warning recipients that their Amazon, Apple, or Samsung accounts had been linked to criminal activities such as circulation of child pornographic content, drug trafficking, or terrorism. The messages asked victims to call a toll-free number to prove their innocence.
Once victims responded, a “dialer” team convinced them that their identities and bank accounts had been compromised. The calls were then transferred to a “banker” team, which persuaded victims to disclose bank balances, account details, and other financial information.
Finally, a “closer” team posing as senior officials of US agencies—including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), US Marshals Service, United States Treasury Department, and United States District Court—threatened victims with arrest and prosecution unless they transferred their money to “safe” channels.
Methods of Payment and Deception
Police said victims were instructed to convert their savings into gift cards, cryptocurrency, or cash. In some cases, cash or gold was allegedly collected from addresses in the US through intermediaries. To reinforce the deception, the accused allegedly emailed forged court orders, identity theft reports, FTC letters, investigation reports, and non-disclosure agreements resembling official US government documents.
Investigators said the syndicate deliberately avoided conventional banking channels, instead receiving money through gift cards, cryptocurrency, and digital vouchers to make financial transactions difficult to trace.
Seized Evidence and Arrests
During the raid, police seized 103 laptops, 177 mobile phones used for international calling, 116 headsets, eight internet routers, a biometric device, digital records, forged documents, and other electronic evidence. Investigators also recovered calling scripts, databases containing details of foreign nationals, and fake government documents used during the fraud.
Among those arrested are alleged operation managers Lalit Khairajani and Vikram Singh Parmar. Police said all 119 people detained during Wednesday’s raid have been formally arrested.
Recruitment and Operations
Police said the network recruited people with experience in business process outsourcing (BPO) and international calling from several Indian states. Employees were allegedly provided accommodation in Lucknow but were not issued formal appointment letters or employment contracts.
Investigation and Legal Action
The operation was carried out by a joint team of the Cyber Crime Cell and Cyber Crime Police Station under the supervision of Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime and Headquarters) Aparna Kumar, Joint Commissioner of Police Babloo Kumar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Anil Kumar Yadav, and Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Kiran Yadav.
A case has been registered under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Information Technology Act, and the Telecommunications Act. Police Commissioner Sengar said forensic examination of the seized electronic devices is under way to identify the syndicate’s overseas links, email accounts, servers, financial beneficiaries, and the full extent of what investigators believe is a well-organised international cyber fraud network targeting US nationals.
